Card filing system



May 18, 1954 s. s. KARNs 2,678,734

CARD FILING SYSTEM Filed June 9, 1949 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 SHERMAN S. KARNS,I INVENTOR.

A T TORNE K 3 Sheets-Shed'l 2 Filed June 9, 1949 SHERMAN s. KAR/vs,

BY @fm ATTORNEK May 18, 1954 s. s. KARNS CARD FILING SYSTEM 3Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed June 9, 1949 SHERMAN KAPNSv INVENTOR.

Patented May 18, 1954 NITED STAT T OFFICE CARD FILING SYSTEM Sherman S.Karns, Fresno, Calif.

Application June 9, 1949, Serial No. 97,945

(Cl. 211-S) 4 Claims.

This invention relates to oice equipment and more especially toimprovements in a card iiling system.

An object of the invention is to provide novel improvements in a cardfiling system wherein a large number of cards may be led and wherein anyof the cards may be quickly and easily located.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved card filingsystem wherein a large number of cards may be led and all of the cardsare within easy reach of a filing clerk at a xed location such as achair or other seat.

An additional object of the invention is to provide novel improvementsin a card iiling system and structure which are simple in constructionand easy to operate without unduly tiring the clerk or operator.

A further object of the invention is to provide improvements in a cardfiling system having structural features whereby the system can beadapted to the iiling of several different sized cards as arecustomarily found in general ofce ling practice.

Other objects and advantages will appear and be brought out more fullyin the following specication, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawings wherein:

Fig. 1 is an elevation view, partly broken away, of a card. iilingsystem embodying my invention.

Fig. 2 is a plan view, the same.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged partial plan view of one of the filing elements ofmy system.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken along 4-4 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged sectional view taken along the line 5-5 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a sectional view taken along the line rEi--t of Fig. 5.

Fig. 7 is a sectional view taken along the line 1--l of Fig. 3.

Fig. 8 is a sectional view taken along the line 8 3 of Fig. 3.

Figs. 9 and l0 are detailed views showing plates for supporting le boxesof different sizes.

Referring more particularly to the drawings I show a card filing systemcomprising a base l l which supports a column or pedestal l2 which inturn supports a plurality of spider members I3 suitably secured theretoas by bolts I4. Fig. l shows a card filing system having three tiers ofcard filing boxes, and a spider member I3 is provided for each tier.

partly broken away, of

the line Each spider member I3 has radial arms4 I5, the arms havingterminal block formations I6 and I1 as shown. A channel member i8 isse'- cured as by screws I3 to the pair o1' blocks I3, and a channelmember 23 is mounted on each channel member i8 by linear roller bearingrace 2l, channel members i8 and 29 having upper and lower grooves forthe balls 22 of race 2|. By this construction channels 2B are slidableforwardly and backwardly on channel members I8. A stop element 23 isprovided at each end of the channel members 2U and a cooperating fixedstop member 24 is secured on an arm portion 25 of blocks IB. A hollowframe member 21 has parallel L-shaped channel portions 28 by which it issecured to channel members 29 as by screws 29. Frame 21 has a pluralityof upstanding bracket portions 30, each of which supports a bearingscrew 3| mounting a roller bearing 32.

A circular file box supporting frame 33 has a circular channel 34forming a track for rollers 32, and the frame has a plurality of boxsupporting arms 35. Each arm 35 has a pair of diverging end portions 36and abutment portions 31 and 38. The arms are also formed with threadedscrew holes 39, 4B and 4l.

Triangular plates 42, 43 and 44 are adapted to be secured to the armsand have screw holes for mounting on the arms, holes 39 being used forall of the plates, plates 42 and 43 being secured with the additionaluse of hole 49, while plates 44 are secured with the use of the hole 4I.These plates have side edges 45 which terminate adjacent shoulders 3land 38, the shoulders effecting stops for the rear walls of the fileboxes, the ends of which are supported on the plates. Plates 42, 43 and44 may have downwardly depending iianges 46 forming aprons, and handles4l may be provided on the aprons as shown.

I show a plurality of file boxes 50 of any suitable construction butmade preferably of sheet metal, each having front and rear walls 5I and52 and end walls 53 which have rolled upper edge portions 54 forminghandles, these portions having an opening 55 for a stop screw 53 securedadjacent edge 45 of the spacer plates 42, 43 or 44. Thus the file boxesare supported by end walls 53 on the spacer plates with the rear walls52 positioned adjacent abutments 31 or 38.

lt will be seen from the foregoing description that supporting arms 35and the several sized spacer plates provide a supporting structure foriile boxes of several different sizes without other structuralalterations or adjustments. Fig. 2 shows a medium sized le box 53supported on medium sized spacer' plates 43, while Figs. 9 and 10 showsmall and large spacer plates 42 and 44 respectively secured on arms 35with the edges 45 of the plates terminating respectively adjacentabutments 3l and 38. The iile boxes supported by plates 42 will have thesame length as le boxes 5i) but will be narrower, while the file boxessupported by plates 44 will be shorter but wider.

In Figures l and 2 I show a circular cabinet 51 having a bottom 58secured on pedestal I2, a top 59, a semi-circular side wall 60, and asemicircular sliding door 6l. Pedestal l2 is secured to bottom 58 at apoint forward of its center.

Cushion stops 62 are provided onchannel members 20 for engagement withthe ends of channel members I8, and stop members 63 are alsosecured onchannel members 29 for engaging the ends of ball races 2|.

The opera-tion of the invention should be obviousfrom the foregoingdescription. The tiers of :file boxes are rotatable through .360 degreesby Athe'roller mounting of supporting frame 33 on rollers32, and anytier can be slid .forwardly and outwardly through the open side ofcabinet 51 :bythe mounting of hollow frame member 2l von spider memberi3. Thus any tier of file boxes is readily accessible for ling and anybox of any tier `is easily brought within reach `,of a .file clerk who.does not need .tomove from a position in .front of the ling system. Bythis .construction .a very large ynumber of .cards may be filed foryquick reference, the number of such cards reach- ;ing a possible totalof 20,000, using' three tiers, :each having ,six boxes.

-Anovel feature of my invention is thatany le box oiany number of vleboxes may be removed from any tier Without affecting the operation oftherest of the file. Alsoya pluralityfof tiersmay bev mounted on a shaftand extend `from the door `to ,the eye line to be used as a standardreference le. While I have described .my ,invention with particularreference tocard filing, the invention is 4not limited to cards but willserve `for filing folders, addressograph plateaand various types ofrecords.

It will be understood that the foregoing .description is illustrativerather than restrictive of my invention and that changes and modicationsmay bemade without departing from the spirit and scope of thesub-joinedclaims.

Having described my invention what I claim-is:

v1. A card ling system as described, comprising yin combination a base,a pedestal on'said base, a spider member on'saidpedestalxhaving portionsextending radially therefrom, a horizontal hollow frame member slidablymounted on said spidermember, and a le box supporting frame rotatablymounted for rotation about a vertical axis on said frame member, saidframe member and supporting frame each having an opening through whichsaid pedestal extends.

2. A card filing system as described, comprising in combination a base,a pedestal on said base, a, plurality of spider members xed on saidpedestal having portions extending radially from said pedestal, a hollowcenter horizontal frame member slidably mounted on each said spider Ymember for horizontal movement in one direction, and a hollow center lebox supporting frame rotatably mounted on each of said frame members.

,3..Afcard filing system as described, compris- ,ing in combination abase, a pedestal on said base,

a lspider-member on said pedestal having arms A'extending radiallytherefrom, a bearing block at the end of each arm, a hollow frame memberslidably mounted on said arm bearing blocks, a plurality of arcuatelydisposed bearings on said .hollow frame member, and a file boxsupporting 'frame rotatably 4,mounted for Vrotation about a verticalaxis on said hollow frame member bear- Linge.

14. Acard ling system as described, comprising `in com-binationa base,.a pedestal on said base,

a plurality of spider members on said pedestal, each having armsextending radially therefrom,

1a bearing block at the end-'of each arm, ahollow rframe member for eachspider `slidably mounted `.on each of the spider member arm bearingblocks, .a plurality of arcuately disposed bearings on each of saidhollow frame membersand a le box supporting frame rotatably mounted forrotation `about'a'vertical.axis onzthe bearings of each hollow :framemember, said pedestal `extending :through the 4openings 'of `the severalframe members.

:References .Cited in the le of .this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

